Summer Student Program

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The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System welcomes graduate, medical, undergraduate, and advanced high school students into the Student Innovators Summer Program.

The Sheikh Zayed Institute offers a rigorous research experience, along with an academic program focused on innovation management in a pediatric hospital environment. Because of the unique setting, student innovators have many opportunities to meet and shadow physicians and medical professionals, as well as observe different kinds of surgeries. They are invited to attend innovation rounds as well as a special series of presentations organized by the Children’s Research Institute. In 2015, the program ended with a poster presentation led by the student innovators.

In 2013, student innovators participated in our first Medical Hackathon focused on designing a mobile app or tool that effectively addresses pediatric obesity. During the Hackathon, they learned about brainstorming, team formation, and leadership within a group. In the post-Hackathon debrief sessions, they also learned about the steps needed to move from ideas and initial design to commercializable product. Watch the video from the first Hackathon.

Mentors come from within the Institute and from across Children’s National. Most projects are based on current research in bioengineering, biological sciences, and innovation management, but they have also been sponsored by mentors in the simulation center and medical IT. A special opportunity is available in the Center for Genetic Medicine Research in the area of developmental pharmacology.